Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-09-16
WHICH WAS 1T!

Leslie Perry, the only child Of q Wild
owed mother, was to graduate where
three of his race had won collegiate hon.
ors His father died when Leslie was .
child, leaving him an honorable name
adorned by words and deeds that made
him famous. He WAS . true son OF hD
father-a leader by right, victor through
merit. His abilities were of 80 high al
order. and he won honors 50 easily and
bore success 50 modestly, that he ESCAPED
TO a great degree the shafts Of envy. He
was of n magnificent physique, handsome,
highly accomplished and very obliging.
Nor was he only q student Of books and
men. He delighted in dogs. horses and
boats, he was an expert swimmer, All ac-
complished oarsman and was regarded
the champion Of college.
Mrs. Perry arrived the day before COM
mencement to witness the triumph Of her
son. She knew he was a boy Of many
ambitions. and she had absolute faith he
would be a man of many achievements.
Mrs. Perry was accompanied by Bea
trice Gay, An acknowledged belle Of the
Crescent City, an heiress Of immense
wealth. who was engaged to Leslie. Amid
the distinguished throng assembled to
witness the Alma Matters benedictions
upon the boys of %, Mrs. Perry was spe
cially honored and Beatrice much admired
She was a new study. new sensation,
whom all delighted to honor out of regard
for Leslie. and her own claim to admira
ton: and when four ont Of five prizes
were awarded to Leslie Perry, the spon-
taneous Outburst Of applause was honest
hearted and sincere. Tears Of joy filled
his mothers eyes and smiles of pleasure
wreathed the lips Of his intended bride As
they FASTENED to greet him. one with a
laurel wreath the other with q bunch of
forget me nots.
Leslie Perry left college fully equipped
to win name and fame in his own right.
He had strong will, high purpose and
fixed determination. He looked facts in
the face and never compromised with ex-
pediency. He was generous. brave and
+ Tie. with sensitive sorl. intellectual ma
Iure and tender conscience, and chivalrous
20 the last degree. As q boy he had dared
to do right, and as q man his heart was
fortified by principle and his actions sell
dom controlled by impulse. Like all great
natures, beauty was m irresistible mag
net to his heart, and under its influence
he was not entirely free from the frailness
common to mankind until his allegiance
was given to Beatrice Gay, who was as
GOOD as she was beautiful. She was a
woman to inspire enduring love. When
this new bond entered his life his mother
made his choice her own. She was a dis
ciple Of early marriages. and felt that she
would gain . daughter and not lose SON
She knew Leslie's character was sufii-
ciently strong to love mother and wife, and
be true TO both, and her love was SO great
she could give him TO another. When the
marriage bells were rung for Leslie and
Beatrice they were not death knells to her
happiness She realized the law Of COM
pensation. and the three were bound to-
gether with chains of deathless love.
True to the traditions Of his family, Les
lie was admitted to the bar with honor.
A profound respect for his profession filled
his whole being, and he stood foremost
among the fearless advocates Of his state.
Ieslie's mind was as massive as his form.
and was richly furnished with wit, wis
dom, logic and intellectual power; but,
great as he WAS in the forum. he was
greatest under his own roof. His home
life was beautiful as poem, his fireside
An altar, and he the center and soul Of the
domestic circle, and more unaffected and
delightful companion could not be imag-
ined
During the summer Of 1873. when yel-
low fever blighted the south, death en-
tered the home, and sorrow filled the heart
Of Leslie Perry. His two children died;
his wife and mother were stricken with
the dreaded fever, and, although he was
shattered by the deadly stmos-
phere Of disease, and his heart crushed. he
never wearied or faltered, but through he
roic effort saved his loved ones. DR. Henry
said the calm judgment Of that stricken
man was more effectual than medicine in
them from death.
After their affiiction they decided to
spend year in the south of France in
search of health, and Leslie believed amid
new scenes and surroundings an extinc-
ton Of memories would follow. In their
pilgrimage each helped the other
10 forget. After that radical change
Beatrice became herself, beautiful and
and if her heart went back to
her sorrow her lips were dumb.
The mother regained her health and was
more devoted than ever, and both mother
and wife We're bound to Leslie with bonds
If steel
Late in the autumn Of 1880 Leslie was
informed that he had been unanimously
nominated for congress, with every chance
In favor of election. Mrs. Perry was en-
thusiastic over the prospect and proud Of
the distinction shown her son, and anxious
her brilliant daughter should return to
society, where her social graces gave her
exalted pre-eminence.
Beatrice felt less pleasure. She was
not ardent in her apirations for political
honors, and she could not disguise
her pronounced preference for the luXuri-